When choosing rented, furnished, accommodation, check the furnishings and appliances supplied carefully. Make sure that they comply with the laws that are in place to protect you from defective items which can cause injury or death. Often letting agents as well as landlords are liable if goods supplied with the tenancy are not of the standard required by law.
Upholstered Furniture
If you start to rent accommodation which you have not rented before, regulations control the safety of upholstered furniture supplied in the let. These regulations were introduced to reduce the number of people killed and injured by toxic fumes given off when some upholstery materials burn. This includes any furniture which includes upholstery, (unless it was made before 1950) for example:
- three piece suites and armchairs
- beds, headboards and mattresses
- sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles
- nursery and children's furniture (including pushchairs and prams)
- loose and stretch covers for furniture
- scatter cushions and seat pads
- furniture in new caravans
- garden furniture which can be used indoors
- Upholstered furniture generally must have:
- Covers which resist ignition from a match flame test
- Upholstery which resists ignition from a smouldering cigarette test
- Filling materials which pass an appropriate ignitability test
- Permanent labelling to show compliance
Labelling
Check to see that a permanent label is present as this is the best way to show compliance. Most furniture should have a label, an example is given below, entitled 'Carelessness Causes Fire':
Mattresses and bed bases are not required to have this type of label, but to show that they comply with the ignitability tests they may have a label stating compliance with BS7177. This label has a blue border with white lettering and black cigarette and flame symbols.
CARELESSNESS CAUSES FIRE
Batch / ID No: AX1234
To comply with the Furniture and Furnishings
(Fire) (Safety) Regulations:
It is not compulsory for second-hand furniture supplied in rented accommodation to bear a permanent label but for your own safety and peace of mind, it is advisable to only accept furniture which does or ask for written confirmation if not labelled.
Electrical Appliances
Electrical goods that are provided with rented accommodation must be safe, whether they are new or second-hand.
The law does not require landlords to test such equipment but a good landlord will have taken such precautions.
However the law does require all new and second-hand appliances supplied to be fitted with an appropriately fused and approved plug.
- Ask for evidence that each piece of equipment has been recently inspected and tested by a qualified electrician who has the necessary equipment to carry out testing. Where necessary for safe use, instructions should be available.
- Ask to see records or checks by a competent person of all permanent wiring e.g. mains power wiring and sockets; lighting wiring; fittings and switches.
- Check the plugs to see that there are protective sleeves on the neutral and live pins and to ensure that the cord grips are effective.
- Check to see that wiring is not damaged.
- Check to see that there is no access to live parts without the use of a tool.
Gas appliances
All gas appliances in rented accommodation must be safe and have instructions where appropriate.
By law, landlords must ensure gas appliances including LPG cabinet heaters are checked for safety including, where relevant, checks on the effectiveness of
- the flue
- the ventilation
- gas operating pressure
- gas tightness
These checks should have been carried out at least every 12 months and records kept of the test dates, defects and remedial action taken. Landlords must make this information available to tenants and prospective tenants and keep records for 2 years.
The installation and maintenance of gas appliances should only be carried out by a CORGI (Council for the Registration of Gas Installers) registered fitter.
- Ask for evidence that each piece of equipment has been recently inspected and tested by a CORGI fitter.
- Check that all gas appliances are working properly.
If you have a problem with obtaining this information then ring the Health and Safety Executive Safety Advice Line: 0800 300363
Gas cookers
Check that cookers have
- legible and durable markings on the controls
- tap handles which are easy to operate but are not liable to be turned on accidentally
- adequate pan supports
- the ability to ignite promptly
- adequate instructions for use
Any hob cover must shut off the gas supply or the cover must have a warning label stating that it does not.
Space and Ventilation
A fixed gas fire, space heater or water heater of more than 14kW must not be installed into a room intended to be used as sleeping accommodation unless it is 'room sealed'. If it is below 14kW it must be either 'room sealed' or have an oxygen depletion cut out.
Mobile cabinet heaters should only be used in rooms where there is sufficient fixed ventilation.
Gas Catalytic Heaters
Must not contain asbestos
Fireguards
For electric fires openings shall not be greater than:
- a) a major dimension exceeding 125mm;
- a minor dimension exceeding 12mm;
- a diagonal dimension exceeding 126mm;
or - b) a major dimension exceeding 50mm;
- a minor dimension exceeding 20mm;
- a diagonal dimension exceeding 53mm;
unless the gap between vertical rods is not greater than 5mm.
Oil heaters & second-hand gas fires which do not satisfy specific design criteria involving the hearth and installation instructions must be fitted with a guard which:
- does not permit a 35mm diameter probe to touch the heated radiants or the flame
- has no gap larger than 150 x 35mm and no diameter of a gap larger than 154mm unless - it is not possible to pass a 12mm diameter probe through the gap or the gap is between vertical rods no greater than 5mm apart
Paraffin Heaters
Controls cover stability and labelling.
Glazing
Has new building work got appropriate safety glazing incorporated?
If glazing in critical areas is being replaced is safety glass being used?
Other Products
All other goods, not mentioned above, which are 'hired out' with accommodation, should by law, be reasonably safe. For example, lawn mowers, strimmers etc. should have guards in place and ironing boards, clothes dryers etc. should not have sharp edges which could cause injury in normal use. Chairs and step ladders should be strong enough as should glass in furniture. Instructions or warning labels should be available to ensure that appliances can be used safely.
Further Information
This is a brief summary. If you require more detailed information or have a complaint please contact Trading Standards.
This article does (or does not) include a Schedule 3 interliner.
All foams, fillings and composites have been tested to ensure
compliance with the relevant ignitability test.
All covers and fillings have been tested to ensure that they are cigarette resistant
All covers have been tested to ensure that they are match resistant
Further details are available from your retailer.